Why you should be prepared to wait 4 months for a good builder

Homeowners looking to carry out large renovations to their home should be prepared to wait four months for a good builder.

New research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) reveals that more than 40 per cent of builders need at least four months' notice from clients who want to hire their firm. Anything less than this means homeowners risk working with a cowboy.

'If a builder is free to start work tomorrow, alarm bells should ring,' says Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB. 'Demand for building work is incredibly high at the moment and it should be no surprise that almost one in two builders need to be contacted at least four months in advance of when a client is looking to start a home improvement project.

'The workloads of builders have been rising steadily over the past two years and there's no shortage of work. That's why we're urging home owners who are keen to crack on with their build or renovation projects to start getting in touch with prospective builders as soon as possible. Otherwise, they risk disappointment delaying their projects or worse still, working with a dodgy builder. So many building horror stories start with a client approaching a builder who's free to start work sooner than the more professional builder who is really busy.'

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Alarming stats from the research also reveals that 90 per cent of builders say the majority of homeowners do not ask for a written contract, while 80 per cent of builders say they are not asked for an agreed payment schedule.

What's more, less than 10 per cent of builders say clients normally request to see vital insurance policies such as public liability or employer's liability insurance when embarking upon a major piece of building work.

'If a builder is free to start work tomorrow, alarm bells should ring.'

Berry says this approach from homeowners is leaving them 'vulnerable' to a lot of problems. 'The vast majority of builders say that most clients fail to ask for references and even fewer ask for a written contract on their work,' he continues. 'There is a similar trend when it comes to asking for critical things like an agreed payment schedule and key warranties on work, as well as checking whether the builder has any external accreditation or recognition from professional trade association like the FMB.

'These protections really are essential to helping clients weed out the cowboys and mitigate against any issues that could crop up during the build. A quality builder will insist on these things and if they don't, consumers ought to question why.'